Ted Marcus Plakke was born November 14, 1939, and died April 14, 2023, following heart surgery. He was 83 years old.
Ted was born and raised in Holland, MI. He attended Holland public schools and enlisted in the Navy after graduation from high school. He was previously married to Sandra (Timmer) Plakke, with whom he had his only son, Jeff. He later married Mila Walters. Ted worked at Parke-Davis – Warner-Lambert – Pfizer as a maintenance electrician for over 30 years. He loved the outdoors and enjoyed riding motorcycles, going to car shows, hunting, fishing, playing golf, camping, and canoeing. When he was a young father, he was active in Cub Scouts and coached youth softball and soccer. He loved to feed and watch birds. Later in retirement, he and his wife Mila, began to travel to Dauphin Island, AL in the winter where they enjoyed staying in their travel trailer in a campground with many of their close friends. Ted was active, friendly, and likable with a rye sense of humor. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends.
Ted is survived by his wife Mila, his brother and sister-in-law Jack and Deni Plakke, sister and brother-in-law Patricia and Dave VanDyke, sister and brother-in-law Sally and Lee Prins, his son Jeff Plakke and daughter-in-law Lara Rusch and grandsons Casey Plakke and Forest Plakke, nephew Michael Plakke, niece Karen Prins, nephews Tim and Todd Rumbles, stepdaughter Nishaya Skiles, step son and step daughter-in-law Niels Tervoort and Marisa Nevarez Tervoort. Preceded in death by his parents, Clifford and Hazel Plakke, sister and brother-in-law Carol and Don Rumbles, and niece, Sandy Prins.
A memorial gathering to celebrate Ted's life will be Saturday, May 20th, at 5 pm at Hemlock Nature Center, 8115 West Olive Rd. West Olive MI 49460. A Nature Walk will begin at 4 pm prior to the ceremony. Memorials can be made at the time of service for a tree to be planted in honor of Ted; or made to Holland Audubon Club, the Hemlock Nature Center, or the Sierra Club.
Please send condolences to his wife, Mila Walters at 8191 Pigeon Creek Dr., West
Olive, MI 49460. Son, Jeff Plakke, 8616 Merrill Rd. Whitmore Lake, MI 48189.
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